With all eight mu of crops arranged, Chen Liyun could finally put her mind at ease.
Neither family had asked for written receipts, but she recalled the original host’s handwriting and wrote one for each household anyway. Instead of handing them over, she kept them in her own care.
Free from outside worries, life at home became quite comfortable. Chen Shu and Chen Chang were no trouble at all, helping out with plenty of chores, and little Abao was as well-behaved as could be.
Most of their vegetables came from their private plot, Chen Lihong had brought over a basket of eggs, and Chen Liyun had asked neighbors to buy meat for them on market days twice. After ten days of this, her complexion improved noticeably, and the two older girls’ faces filled out as well.
This was no exaggeration. In the past, the original host had rarely eaten meat even once a month during her pregnancy, let alone Chen Shu and Chen Chang.
It was not entirely the previous host’s fault.
The money she managed came strictly from selling grain, and after keeping enough to feed the family, little remained. Old Qi and Old Madam Qi frequently skimmed a portion of that, leaving her without a single cent to spare for meat.
Qi Hongwei earned several hundred yuan a month, but he hoarded it all, stingy enough to begrudge giving even a few tens of yuan to the household.
Having birthed two daughters, the previous host had always felt ashamed. Even when pregnant, she lived in dread of having a third girl, lacking the courage to ask Qi Hongwei for money. As a result, Qi Hongwei grew plump and well-fed while running around outside, whereas she, Chen Shu, and Chen Chang remained scrawny, visibly malnourished.
Now that Chen Liyun had taken over, things were different. Back in the Great Qi Dynasty, she had longed to give Abao the very best of everything under the sun. With Abao returned to her, alongside the sensible, obedient Chen Shu and Chen Chang, she devoted her entire heart to the children.
Even when nourishing her own body, whenever there was fish or meat, she saved the best cuts for the girls and ate the scraps herself.
Fortunately, the effort paid off visibly, proving her care was well worth it.
After ten or so days, her confinement period was completely over. Even though her body remained weak, she needed to take care of practical matters.
Divorce was her top priority. Just as mutual divorce in the Great Qi Dynasty required a formal document submitted to the government, modern divorces needed official certification, granting the separated couple a divorce certificate.
Chen Liyun felt not a shred of affection for Qi Hongwei. Over the past ten days, she had rummaged through the fabrics gifted by relatives and friends over the years, selecting plain pieces to cut and sew into four handkerchiefs, a pair of pillow towels, and a pair of pillowcases.
The patterns were simple due to the tight timeframe, but she figured they would still fetch some money in the county town.
Filled with hope for the future, she became even more eager to cut ties with Qi Hongwei. Once that was done, her three daughters would truly belong only to her.
A divorce required both husband and wife to be present. That day, after preparing lunch, Chen Liyun figured the village chief’s family would have returned home. She instructed Chen Shu and Chen Chang to watch Abao, then stepped out the door for the first time, planning to call Qi Hongwei.
Very few households in the village had a telephone. Chen Lihong used to go to the village chief’s house whenever she needed to contact Qi Hongwei.
When she showed up again, the village chief’s wife worried she might stage another suicide attempt. Unable to think of a reason to turn her away, the woman could only stand aside on edge, watching her nervously.
Chen Liyun did not mind. As soon as the call went through, she asked for Qi Hongwei and stayed on the line, waiting without hanging up.
Since everyone lived in the same village, neighbors were never charged to use the phone, especially at the village chief’s house where taking money would be unthinkable. In the past, Chen Liyun would always hang up as soon as someone answered and wait for Qi Hongwei to call back. This time, she kept the receiver pressed to her ear.
Every second cost money.
The village chief’s wife stared at her, beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead from anxiety. Speaking up would make her look petty, and she genuinely pitied Chen Liyun, leaving her no choice but to bite her tongue and suffer in silence.
Meanwhile, at the grand hotel in the county seat, the receptionist went to find Qi Hongwei after answering the call. Her brow was knit tight, and her tone dripped with sarcasm. “Qi Hongwei, did you really tell your family you want a divorce?”
Qi Hongwei had just finished work and was heading to lunch. Seeing Xue Lili approach, his face brightened with a broad smile. Her words caused his grin to falter for a second, but he quickly gave a firm nod. “Of course. Didn’t I go back over a week ago? I made everything crystal clear to her then.”
“Hmph!” Xue Lili let out a petulant scoff. “If that’s true, why is your wife calling you again? Let me tell you, Qi Hongwei, if things are still murky between you and the family back home, it’s not like I’m desperate for a husband. We might as well call it quits right now!”
Qi Hongwei panicked. Lunging forward, he caught Xue Lili’s hand and pulled her into his arms, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
“How could that be?” he said, his voice dripping with tenderness. “I really made everything clear to her. Lili, how can you doubt me? If you want to know how I feel about you, just feel my heart. Feel it yourself.”
He guided her hand to his chest. He was tall, handsome, and with him whispering such sweet words, Xue Lili’s face quickly flushed crimson.
“Hmph,” she pouted, her anger completely replaced by coyness. Still, the thought of the plain, worn-out woman back in his hometown left a bitter taste in her mouth. “Then why did she call again? Go on, tell her off. Tell her never to call here again. It’s annoying me to death!”
“Alright, alright, I’ll go right now,” Qi Hongwei agreed eagerly. “Right away!”
Xue Lili was not a regular employee at the hotel. Her mother was the manager, and after visiting a few times, she had taken a fancy to the young, handsome Qi Hongwei.
For his part, Qi Hongwei was thoroughly tired of Chen Liyun, who seemed capable only of giving birth to daughters and never bothered to make herself presentable. He had already been flirting with several young women in town, so when the young, pretty Xue Lili cast an inviting glance his way, he caught it immediately.
This was Xue Lili’s first romance, and she threw herself into it completely. After making a scene with her mother, she came to work at the hotel just to be near him. Once Qi Hongwei learned that her mother managed the hotel and her father held a respectable, if modestly paid, position as a section chief in the civil service, he devoted all his efforts to charming her until she was determined to marry no one else.
Marrying a woman like her meant he would never have to return to his rural hometown.
The advantages were obvious. Whether he wanted to test into the civil service or secure better perks at the hotel, her parents could pull the right strings. A city-bred wife would give him social prestige, and best of all, she might finally give him a son, which would win his parents’ enthusiastic approval.
As soon as he learned that Chen Liyun had given birth to another daughter, he hurried home the moment he finished his work to bring up a divorce. He left immediately after saying his piece. Even when his parents told him that Chen Liyun had nearly drowned after jumping into the river, he had not bothered to return.
Why was she calling again?
He had made everything crystal clear that day. Was she still refusing to give up?
A look of disgust crossed Qi Hongwei’s face. He picked up the receiver and gave a cold “Hello.”
“Qi Hongwei?” Speaking his name turned Chen Liyun’s stomach, mainly because it was only one character away from Qi Hong. Still, she had important business today. Suppressing her revulsion, she kept her voice as steady as possible. “You brought up divorce that day, but you never came back to finalize the certificate with me. Come back tomorrow. We can’t drag this out.”
Her detached tone shocked the village chief’s wife.
“Daya’s mother! You… you…” She had assumed Chen Liyun came to cry, beg, and plead with Qi Hongwei not to leave her. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected Chen Liyun to actively demand a divorce certificate.
When Qi Hongwei didn’t answer, Chen Liyun glanced over at the village chief’s wife and offered a faint smile. “Auntie, I gave my eldest daughter a new name. Shushu, as in comfortable and smooth. Her name is Chen Shu, and the younger one is Chen Chang.”
They took the surname Chen!
The village chief’s wife was stunned once again, rendered completely speechless, staring at Chen Liyun in disbelief.
Chen Liyun looked away and spoke into the phone to remind Qi Hongwei. “Let’s meet tomorrow morning at nine-thirty outside the town bank. I have the household registration booklet, so just remember to bring your ID.”
She didn’t bring up the children or the house just yet. Once the divorce was finalized tomorrow, she planned to bring Qi Hongwei back to the village. Chen Lihong would arrive with relatives from their side of the family by then. A proper confrontation would force his hand. As long as Qi Hongwei cared even a shred about his reputation, he wouldn’t dare push things to the absolute extreme.
Having said her piece, Chen Liyun snapped the phone down, ending the call.
On the other end of the line, Qi Hongwei stood frozen like a wooden statue. From the moment she started speaking until she abruptly hung up, he hadn’t managed to process a single thing.
How could this be happening?
He had expected Chen Liyun to weep and beg him not to leave her. She had always loved him so desperately, obeying his every word, never daring to step out of line. When he had first mentioned divorce, she had even tried to drown herself. How could someone like that turn into an entirely different person in less than two weeks, calmly bringing up a divorce on her own terms?
It was impossible.
She had to be lying. She just wanted to trick him into coming home so she could beg him in person.
Yes, that had to be it. Coming to his senses, Qi Hongwei felt a wave of disgust wash over his face. He slammed down the receiver, picked it right back up, and dialed the village chief’s number again.
Xue Lili walked over. “What happened?”
Qi Hongwei waved a hand dismissively, offering no answer.
Back in Qijia Village, Chen Liyun finished her call and stepped outside. Seeing the village chief’s young grandson, she reached into her pocket and pulled out two boiled eggs along with a handful of candies, just as the original owner of her body would have done. She had boiled the eggs at lunchtime, and the candies were treats a neighbor had picked up for Chen Shu and Chen Chang at the market. Knowing she had tied up the phone for a long time today, she was far more generous than the original Chen Liyun, handing them all over without hesitation.
Seeing this, the village chief’s wife was too delighted to even wonder at how much Chen Liyun had changed. Beaming from ear to ear, she exclaimed, “Oh my, Daya… no, wait, what’s your eldest girl’s name again?”
Chen Liyun smiled. “Chen Shu, and her younger sister is Chen Chang.”
“Right, right, Chen Shu, Shushu!” the village chief’s wife chuckled. “Shushu’s mom, why are you being so polite? We’re from the same village, so using the phone is no big deal. Look at you, bringing so much.”
“Auntie, you’ve always been generous letting me use the phone for free,” Chen Liyun said with a smile. “This is just a small token of my appreciation, a few snacks for the kid. Well, I’ve got food cooking on the stove, so I’ll head back now.”
To secure what she was owed in the divorce, she needed public opinion in the village on her side. Gaining goodwill with a few small treats was well worth the effort. Besides, as a divorced woman living long-term in Qijia Village, she had to stay on good terms with her neighbors. If trouble arose, having no one to lend a hand would make life difficult.
The village chief’s wife was someone whose words carried significant weight in Qijia Village.
Though the woman didn’t quite grasp the fancy phrase about returning a favor, it hardly mattered. She had only been making polite conversation anyway. Just as she was about to speak, the phone rang. Chen Liyun gave a quick wave and strode out the door.
The village chief’s wife scooped most of the candy and a boiled egg from her grandson’s hands, then turned and went back inside.
The call was from Qi Hongwei. The moment the village chief’s wife recognized his voice, she frowned. “Hongwei, what else do you need? Your wife… well, Shushu’s Mom, she’s already left.”
Gone?
She really moved fast.
Qi Hongwei spoke in a frigid tone. “Auntie, please pass along a message for me. I am not coming back tomorrow. I will divorce her, without question, but tell her not to play any dirty tricks. My mind is made up. Even if she tries to kill herself again…”
What terrible things to say!
The village chief’s wife was a woman herself. While women sometimes enjoyed local gossip, they also understood another woman’s suffering better than anyone. Besides, Chen Liyun had just been so generous, which made the woman view her in a very favorable light.
She cut Qi Hongwei off immediately. “Hongwei, don’t worry. I could tell Shushu’s Mom is completely serious about divorcing you. Just come on back. I guarantee she’ll finalize the divorce with you tomorrow, no question. And stop overthinking things. Shushu’s Mom is still young and pretty. She won’t have any trouble finding someone else to marry, so rest assured, she’s not going to cling to you.”
With that, she hung up before Qi Hongwei could say another word.
On the other end of the line, Qi Hongwei was completely bewildered.
Was this really happening?
Chen Liyun was truly in such a rush to divorce him. Had she already found someone else so quickly? And she had claimed to love him. What a joke.
His face was livid, yet the moment he looked at Xue Lili, he forced a smile. “It’s settled. I’ll go back tomorrow and finalize the divorce.”
Chen Lihong could not care less about what Qi Hongwei was thinking. Having made everything clear, she walked home in such a good mood that she even hummed a little tune.
Before she reached her house, however, she noticed villagers running in groups toward her place.
“There’s a fight!” someone shouted as they hurried past. “Hurry, a fight broke out, let’s go see!”
Her expression hardened, and she broke into a run.